Knief blade opening mechanism
AssigneeMentor Group, L.L.C.
InventorsKenneth Steigerwalt, Matthew Lerch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A folding knife incorporates an opening assist mechanism that functions to drive the blade from the closed to the open position. The knife may be either automatic or semi-automatic. In one embodiment a pair of spring arms, one located to each lateral side of the blade is interconnected at their forward ends with a pin and a roller sleeve. The spring arms apply pressure to the tang of the blade when the blade is closed.
Claims20
An opening assist mechanism for a folding knife, comprising,
- a handle having first and second handle halves held in a spaced apart relationship to define a blade groove therebetween;
- a blade pivotally connected between the handle halves at a tang and movable between an open and closed position;
- a pair of spring arms, one on each side of the blade, each spring arm having a fixed end and a free end;
- a pin interconnecting the free ends of the spring arms, said pin operatively positioned adjacent said tang for applying force to said tang.
An opening assist apparatus for a folding tool having a handle with opposed side walls and a slot therebetween, and a blade pivotally connected to the handle and movable about a pivot axis between a closed position wherein the blade is at least partially contained in the slot and an open position wherein the blade is extended away from the slot, comprising:
- a first elongate spring arm having a proximal end attached to the handle and an opposite free end, a second elongate spring arm having a proximal end attached to the handle and an opposite free end, a pin interconnecting the free ends of the first and second spring arms, wherein said pin is operatively positioned for exerting pressure on said blade for retaining said blade in the closed position, and for exerting pressure on said blade to assist moving the blade into said open position when said blade is rotated about the pivot axis toward the open position beyond a threshold point.
The opening assist apparatus wherein said pin further comprises a roller sleeve that freely rotates between said spring arms.
A folding knife, comprising:
- a handle having first and second opposed side walls held in a spaced-apart arrangement to define an elongate slot therebetween;
- a liner adjacent each side wall, each liner defining a spring arm;
- a rotatable drive pin interconnecting each spring arm at one end thereof;
- a blade having a working portion and a tang portion pivotally attached to one end of the handle, said blade movable between a closed position in which the blade is at least partially received within the elongate slot and an open position in which the blade is extended away from the handle;
- wherein said drive pin is operatively positioned such that it contacts said tang portion and applies pressure thereto to retain said blade in the closed position and to move said blade from the closed position to the open position.
A mechanism for providing an opening assist for a folding knife having a handle with opposed side walls and a slot therebetween, and a blade pivotally connected to said handle and movable about a pivot axis between a closed position wherein the blade is at least partially contained in the slot and an open position wherein the implement is extended away from the slot, comprising:
- a pair of springs interconnected by a drive pin spanning the slot and positioned operatively adjacent a tang portion of said blade for exerting pressure on said tang portion to retain said blade in the closed position and to urge the implement from said closed position to an open position after said drive pin passes a threshold point as the blade is rotated from the closed to open position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.